Isle of Dreaming
by aladyofgondor
Summary: Ivorwen, a woman from a small village of Rohan, sets out for an adventure but is ambushed by a pack of Orcs. She takes cover in an unknown forest where she meets an almost mystical creature to her. She meets an elf.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tolkien's genius works as much as I'd like to.

ENJOY!

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Prologue

Run.

That was her only thought as she dashed into the forest and away from the orcs that had been on her tail. Never in her life had she been so scared, never had she run so fast in her life. This had been her first near death experience and now she wished she had never tried to travel on her own.

She had always dreamed of an adventure, since she was a little girl and she heard of the tales of distant cities and distant kingdoms. She had heard of the rolling country side and the beauty of the white city as well as of the eleven city called Rivendell and she yearned to see all and everything that she could.

Stupid girl that she was. And here she was, running for her life from a pack of orcs into some unknown forest. She a sense of safety as she pasted into the green wood and she eased herself into a slower pace. She heard an Orc horn, and prayed that they were retreating and had found that their chase wasn't worth the risk.

She didn't take any chances, however, and as quickly as she could, climbed up a sturdy looking tree. The strange thing about the trees around her were that they looked ancient and their trunks were larger than any tree she had ever come across. Given she hadn't seen many forests but there was something uncommonly ancient and almost immoral about the whole place.

She wanted to see the mountains, to meet dwarves and to talk to elves. She wanted to see Rivendell and Dale, things that were now legends or stories told at night to scare her or make her feel happy. She knew now venturing out into the world had been something of a mistake. The stories were real, they were all real. There were dangerous things, orcs, goblins, even wild animals, things she should have taken into consideration before venturing out into the world of the unknown.

And here she was, stuck in a tree waiting for death or for freedom, she did not known which yet.

She waited, breathing slowly and softly and she dared not to make any more movement as she sat on a large branch that acted as a seat for her. Another horn sounded, and that with it cries of many and the sound of many hooves. She looked down in time to see an Orc run along the path she had come. She willed herself not to scream, and before she could even try, two arrows whistled past her and struck the Orc in the chest.

She gasped, whirling around and into her feet, grasping the tree for balance, and looked about for the bowman.

"A human woman hiding from a pack of orcs in the trees, what a sight to behold," a male voice said, far off in the distance.

She swiveled around, trying to find the man but she couldn't find him. She could feel the cold sweat return as she waited for the voice to return, for the man to come forward. She was alone and helpless, with only a small knife her father had given her before his passing as a weapon. She gripped it tightly to her chest, her eyes still searching her surroundings. Leaves rustled beneath her on the ground, the hooves of the horses sounding like they were retreating and now she knew she truly was alone with whomever this man was.

She was no ordinary maiden, she knew how to fight and she knew how to fend for herself. She had been taught with her brothers on how to use a sword and she was quite handy with a now and arrow if need be. Her hands itched for the bow clipped away on her back. She wanted it to be a fair fight if she were to die, it was in her blood, and her family being that of an army based family. She owed it to herself, she would follow her brothers and father to the grave with a fight if she had to.

Oddly enough, she didn't think she needed to fight. With the unease that she felt, she also felt a sense of peace and kindness in that the tree's seemed to give off. But with the threat of a bow man, the unease overpowered any sense of peacefulness around her.

"A maiden, no less, scared and helpless in a land not her own. Tell me, sweet maiden, what brings you to the realm of elves."

The voice sounded as if the possessor was looming toward her and she could feel her unease heighten. She was in the realm of the elves, of course that is why the pack of orcs had hesitated to follow her.

"That is my business and so it shall remain," she said, her voice hardening as she pulled herself to full height and held the knife tighter. She moved so her back was to the tree trunk and she allowed herself to become aware of the threat and of everything around her. She closed her eyes and listened, for a whisper of clothing, the stretch of a bows string, the slight thump on a tree.

There was none but the chuckle of the man that she still could not locate.

And all of a sudden, arms moved to push her against a body and she gasped at the contact, her eyes shooting open in utter surprise.

"It is still so easy, to catch a human off guard," he whispered, close to her ear. And just as quickly as the arms had come, they disappeared and she was alone again, searching with such unease.

Then once more he came out of the shadows of the trees with a thump. Without a second thought she flung the knife clasped arm at the man but he caught it in good time.

"Such good reflexes, but not fast enough."

She looked up at the man who finally shown himself in full form. He was unlike any man she had ever seen. He was tall, dark haired and had sparkling dark blue eyes. His pale skin shown in the darkening eve and she felt her voice become lost and her stance to stagger.

"What is your name, sweet maiden," he said, smiling mockingly down at her.

"Ivorwen," she said without a second thought.

"Ivorwen, I am Lascalan, welcome to the Realm of Elves."

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{A/N:So basically, this is my first fan fiction based on a book and my first LOTR fan fiction so if you could give me some feedback please that would be lovely!To clear one thing up, I have created a new Elf Realm for them to be in, but I am still using Middle Earth and orcs. I'm also not using any characters that Tolkien created as of right now! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it, even just a little bit.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Tolkien's work at all. But I'd like to have his imagination but alas I cannot.

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It had been a foolish idea to run off and look for adventures. Sure there were a great many but none for Ivorwen.

Foolish, foolish, foolish idea. She scolded herself as she was helped down the tree by Lascalan.

She felt wrong and out of place being touched by someone who only seemed to exist in legends and her mother's story books. They were such divine creatures, something unnatural to the world of men. Of course there were always attacks on villages and towns by orcs but that was the only unnatural thing Ivorwen had ever some across. But this was an elf, only in her dreams had she ever dreamt of meeting them in the flesh. And never in her dreams could she have thought of anything more beautiful to the actual living being before her.

"Is it natural for human women to just stare and keep silent," Lascalan asked, a hint of a smile curling onto his lips.

Ivorwen couldn't tell if he was trying to be kind and loosen her tension or if he was mocking her. She could've gone either way, the latter being an assumption based off their meeting just then or the first because of how elves were depicted as kind and humble creatures.

"With strangers? Of course it is natural to be quiet, I don't know anything about you," Ivorwen said nervously. She wanted to be witty and have an air of courage about her but she was failing miserably.

She was still shocked by the day's events. What with getting run down and nearly killed by a pack of orcs and now getting saved by and meeting an elf? Things were getting way out of hand, and she liked to keep some kind of order in her life.

"I may be a stranger but you do not need to fear me," he replied, titling his head to the side to examine her.

Ivorwen wanted to nod and agree that indeed she did not need to fear him but no one won her trust so easily. Instead she decided not to respond and she moved so that her face was out of his gaze. She was already uncomfortable with his presence and now with him staring right at her, she felt shy and completely unguarded. His stare seemed to penetrate her very being and she felt almost naked in front of him.

"You are told not to fear but yet you have not eased your tense muscles. You hold your head high but yet your face shows wry eyes. You show courage but with someone who is your ally, your fear shines through," Lascalan says, moving into her line of sight once more.

"Are you," she asked, "Are you my ally?"

"Indeed, I am. Unless you give me a reason not be," he replied carefully. This didn't make Ivorwen feel any better, mostly due to the fact that she didn't know what type of reason would make an elf not be your ally. It was baffling for her, to be standing so close and be so uncomfortable with him. He seemed to give off and aura of ease but also of something that made her feel like she needed to watch her back. Perhaps it was how they met but nonetheless she did not feel he could trust him entirely yet.

"I have no wish to become your enemy," Ivorwen replied softly.

"Then by this we should be friends," Lascalan said, tipping his head to the side again.

Ivorwen nodded and wondered what was next to come. She didn't know now what to do, whether to thank him for his helping her and going on her way nor did he want to show her something or even take her to his people. She was lost and frankly he was her only company as of present.

"We are a few days walk to the main city of my people, and since I am in no hurry to return there, I shall see you to the edge of our realm unharmed if you so wish.

"I don't know what I wish, not yet," Ivorwen replied truthfully, moving to lean against the tree for support. Lascalan nodded understandingly and moved away to give her some space. He moved to check the Orc that stood a little ways away and he turned the body over so that it was facing the ground. This at least have Ivorwen comfort before she dived into her thoughts.

First thing on her mind was this elf, with his beautiful features and kind yet foreboding stance. She knew he was off limits, but she was like a honey bee to fresh flowers in the spring. She wanted to stay with him and even though she'd known but a little while, she wanted to follow him to his city and explore.

In truth she shouldn't even be here. Roaming the north was never a thing of a lady or even a man. There were few who seldom choose the path of a wanderer but they were men, and they could last longer in a fight then she could. Of course she was better in a fight than any other woman but she was not as strong as a man could be.

But she had no home anymore. Her family was lost, lost to war and to sickness and now she was the only one left. The lone survivor.

She would stick to her plan. She would see the mountains and the elves, if they allowed her to, and if she lasted long enough, she would start a family.

"Your mind is set," Lascalan said, breaking her thoughts as she realized how close he actually was.

"It is," she replied, giving him a hard stare, as if to challenge him.

"You are to courageous for your own good, but may it bring you ease in your travels," he said, and then he began to circle her.

Ivorwen realized then that this elf was more then met the eye. He was not like elves in the storybooks or in legends. Lascalan seemed less reserved, more on the bounds rather than safely within them. His eyes glinted with what Ivorwen could pen up as mischief and a little of something else that she could not name. He still had an essence of kindness and peace that was ever told in the stories she had been told and at least that fact eased her heart.

"You carry a bow, are you skilled with it?"

"Skilled enough," she replied, narrowing her eyes at him. What was he going after?

"Yet you do not wield it in your time of need," he said, mocking her.

"I have never killed a person with an arrow, only animals," she answered. She did not like to be mocked and certainly did not like to be asked about her mistakes.

"Orcs are not people, or if you don't believe that, believe that they are evil and their hunger for evil things make them inhumane."

"I wasn't prepared for an Orc attack. I have only heard them through myth and legend, not modern stories. Evil seemed a bit out of reach for the people of my town. That is until war and famine broke loose." Ivorwen stopped her thoughts from going wayward, to her past and to the destruction war had caused.

"There are more than just orcs out there. If you intend on going to the mountains, there are goblins and other horrid things that lurk in those places. And you can never be sure of dwarfish hospitality."

Ivorwen felt her heart sink at the mention of goblins. Goblins hadn't even crossed we mind as a threat and now it seemed as if her adventure was turning into a horrid nightmare.

"At least I've seen an elf," she muttered, scrunching up her nose as she looked at the ground in disdain.

Lascalan chuckled and Ivorwen could not help but think it a very lovely and manly sound and it thrilled her beyond belief.

"You are safe in our forest, however. I am sure my kin would not bother a human woman if she stayed near the borders of the forest."

"Thank you," Ivorwen said. She felt the need to bestow him with some form of gratitude but she had nothing that she thought he would like. She had only food, money, clothing, weapons and sleeping bags along with her most valued treasures, her mother's wedding ring and golden necklace of her family's pendant on it. She doubted he would want anything other than her treasure and even then she had her doubts.

A few moments passed of silence, as they were both encircled by their own thoughts.

"Come with me, I have something to show you." Lascalan said, turning and walking slow enough for Ivorwen to follow.

She hesitated but after a moment of thought and nowhere else to go, she followed him deeper into the evergreen forest. Trees become older, and tree trunks became thicker. It was amazing really, to see this wonder that only seemed to live in imaginations of a human rather than reality. It was all still superficial and Ivorwen loved every moment of it.

Nature had seemed to pause on the borders but here, deeper into the forest, the birds and animals seemed to come alive. There was noise, the rushing for river water and even a few deer staring her down before bolting into the opposite direction.

Paradise. That's what it seemed like and now there was a glow to the things and animals around her, like the magic here was pure and untouched by the outside world.

"It's beautiful, all of it," Ivorwen said, as they walked along a small path.

"Yes, I think so too," Lascalan replied and he gave her a wistful smile.

They walked for another moment, the sound of the rushing river water becoming louder, and soon enough they stopped.

Ivorwen peered over his shoulder to see the largest tree she had happened upon as of yet. There was a door in the tree and as far as she could tell, this tree was a sort of room or house.

"Is this your home?"

"You could say it's a second home, of sorts," he said. He seemed to want to say more but stopped himself. Curiosity sparked, and Ivorwen could feel a shift in her. She wanted to know this man. And that revelation scared her to no end.

She had just met this elf, had nearly been killed and had just left home to go on an adventure. She probably just needed to sleep on it, or just to have some alone time because if she didn't seem crazy then, she felt pretty insane then.

She leaned heavily against the tree, moving to drop her pack on the groin beside her and moved her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Are you alright," Lascalan asked, moving to be in front of her.

"I'm fine. Just a little shocked, I think I should lie down for a while," she said, nodding carefully up at him and making sure she did not make eye contact with him. It was already strange, being alone with an elf and male elf no less, and she didn't like not having the upper hand in this situation.

"Of course, you must still be in shock. You can sleep in here if you'd like," he offered, motioning inside the small abode.

She went in without another word and went to drag her supplied next to the bed.

"Sleep well, I shall be outside if you should need anything," he said and before she could turn to thank him, the door had clicked shut.

She sat heavily on the bed and gave the room a good look, sighing heavily. It was beautiful. Carved with meticulous stories and designs, Ivorwen could feel herself relax in a sense of safety. It felt like a home, which was its purpose after all.

Sleep came naturally, like a tranquil serenity and it consumed her being.

~.~

Lascalan sat idly outside the door, fiddling with a knife and a piece of wood, carving the scenery before him. It was a type of hobby and it took his mind off of other things that plagued him.

It was still dawning on him that he had saved this human girl, and had even invited her into his safe place to rest. It was just as shocking to her as it was to him and now he couldn't evenfigure out why he had gone to so much trouble.

He'd like to blame it on his instincts to help and be a savior but he knew that wasn't it. It was something more, like a greater power but not exactly that. It frustrated him to no end that he had allowed this to happen and then it angered him even more to realize he didn't even know what 'this' was.

She could go simpering off in the morning, not caring about elves and just wanting to go home. Or she would still leave but go toward the mountains or toward the rolling hills of Merian, to the east. But he wouldn't allow himself to think to her consenting to going to his city. He didn't know what he would do or tell his kin in him bringing her there but as he ventured into that thought, the prospect gave him a thrill and excitement.

Something that had never really been done before, bringing a strange human woman to an elf city, guided by an elf was all but unheard of. And he was going to do it. The feeling was almost rebellious but not that at all. He was not breaking any rules, just doing something completely out of his nature and something unheard of. Yes, it was very thrilling indeed.

She was a pretty girl too. Maybe he could base his bringing her on her beauty. But that would be considered senseless, because elves were esteemed for their beauty.

This human was a different kind of beauty. She has a foreign apple, from the tree of desire, a forbidden tree. This in itself made her desirable.

Desirable. Lascalan felt like snorting but refrained from doing so. He was becoming senseless. This woman had just entered his realm and therefore his life and now he was thinking of her beauty. He had to think of his kin, of his people. He was after all, a lord over them. Lord Lascalan, the one to go against goblins and against orcs alongside men. He would not become senseless over a mere human woman.

And with this last thought, he pushed the girl from his mind and carried on fiddling with the knife, the face of the girl now on the smooth wood.

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{A/N: HEY! Sorry for the long wait. Life took over and I honestly still have no idea where to go with this story. Although I think I do, I'd like to know what you guys think of it! Is it good? Bad? Weird? I don't know I haven't read many LOTR and The Hobbit Fanfictions so me trying this out is a little off putting to be honest.

Anyways, please tell me what you think in the reviews! ALSO THANK YO TO EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWED AND FAVORITED THIS STORY! you're the best.}


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